What is a Google Business Profile post?
A Google Business Profile post is a short update, an offer, event, or piece of news, that appears directly on your listing in Search and Maps. Posts let you speak to people at the exact moment they look you up, without paying for an ad. They show beneath your core profile details, give customers a reason to act, and signal to Google that your business is active and attended.
Most owners ignore Posts entirely, which is precisely why using them is an easy edge. A listing that posts regularly looks alive next to a rival's that has not changed in a year.
Why do posts matter for ranking and customers?
They work on two fronts at once. For customers, a timely offer or update nudges a browsing searcher toward a call or visit. For Google, regular posting is a freshness signal, evidence that the business is current and worth showing.
Neither effect is dramatic on its own. Together, and sustained, they help. A weekly post keeps your listing visibly active while quietly reinforcing that you are open, engaged, and reliable, which is exactly the impression that supports a strong local ranking.
What can you post about?
Plenty, once you start looking.
- Offers, a seasonal discount or a limited deal.
- Events, anything customers can attend or join.
- News, new services, new hours, or a milestone.
- Updates, a fresh photo of recent work or the team.
- Answers, addressing a question customers ask often.
The aim is not polish. It is regularity and usefulness. A plain, honest post every week beats a glossy one every six months.
What image size should you use?
Posts display best with a landscape image, and getting the dimensions right keeps your photo from being awkwardly cropped. A safe choice is 1200 by 900 pixels, or any landscape image around a 4:3 to 16:9 ratio, kept above roughly 720 pixels on the shorter side. Use a clear, well-lit photo, since a sharp image earns far more attention than a blurry one.
Keep the file a normal web size, a few hundred kilobytes to a couple of megabytes, so it loads quickly. Avoid heavy text on the image itself, because a clean photo with your message in the post text reads better on every screen.
How often should you post?
Weekly is a sensible rhythm for most businesses, and consistency beats volume. One genuine post a week, sustained for months, does more than a burst of ten followed by silence. Set a recurring reminder, keep a short list of post ideas, and treat it like watering a plant rather than launching a campaign.
If weekly feels heavy, fortnightly still works. The line that matters is between regular and abandoned, not between frequent and occasional.
How do you write a post that works?
- Lead with the point, the offer or update, in the first line.
- Keep it short, a few clear sentences, no filler.
- Add a strong image, landscape and sharp, at the right size.
- Include a clear next step, call, book, or visit.
- Stay honest, since a post that overpromises costs you trust.
Where do posts appear, and how long do they last?
Posts show on your Business Profile in both Google Search and Maps, usually near the lower part of your listing where someone scrolling your details will find them. Most post types stay visible for a while and then drop off the front of the listing, which is exactly why a steady rhythm matters: a single old post fades, but a regular stream keeps something fresh in view. Event and offer posts can carry their own dates, so they display through the period you set and then retire on their own. The practical takeaway is simple. Keep posting, and your listing always has something current for a customer to see when they look you up.
Are posts worth the effort?
For the time they take, yes. A few minutes a week keeps your listing fresh, gives customers a reason to choose you now, and adds a steady activity signal that supports your ranking. Take an all-day dining spot that posts its weekend specials each Friday: regulars see it the moment they search, and the listing looks consistently alive to Google. That is a real return for very little work. The businesses that treat Posts as part of their weekly routine quietly out-present the ones that never bother, and presentation, on a busy local listing, is often what wins the tap.
Key takeaways
- Posts reach high-intent searchers for free and act as a freshness signal that supports local ranking.
- Use a sharp landscape image around 1200 by 900 pixels and keep heavy text off the image itself.
- Weekly and consistent beats glossy and occasional; the line that matters is regular versus abandoned.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Google Business Profile post?
It is a short update, offer, event, or piece of news that appears directly on your listing in Search and Maps, letting you reach customers at the moment they look you up, without paying for an ad.
Do posts help my ranking?
They help indirectly. Regular posting is a freshness signal that shows Google your business is active and attended, while also nudging browsing customers toward a call or visit.
What image size should I use for posts?
A landscape image around 1200 by 900 pixels works well, roughly 4:3 to 16:9 and above about 720 pixels on the shorter side. Keep the file a normal web size and use a sharp, well-lit photo.
What can I post about?
Offers, events, news such as new services or hours, fresh photos of recent work, and answers to questions customers ask often. Regularity and usefulness matter more than polish.
How often should I post?
Weekly is a sensible rhythm for most businesses, and consistency beats volume. If weekly feels heavy, fortnightly still works. The key is staying regular rather than abandoning it.
How do I write a post that works?
Lead with the offer or update, keep it to a few clear sentences, add a strong landscape image at the right size, include a clear next step, and stay honest about what you promise.